Journalist, author, and consumer advocate Christopher Elliott knows a thing or two about travel. So when he writes that
“there are times when you’ll want to skip” purchasing a travel insurance policy.
According to a great piece that Elliott recently published on LinkedIn, there are plenty of instances where consumers may actually be “better off without travel insurance.”
As Elliott notes, “most Americans” still travel without insurance.” He goes on to note that plenty of consumers skip this purchase “with good reason,” since “not everyone needs insurance and some people wouldn’t be able to use it even if they bought it.”
Many Travelers may already be covered
So what are some circumstances in which a consumer might be able to go without travel insurance? One point that caught our eye was the fact that many travelers may already be covered “by [their] health insurance or credit card.”
Similarly, he suggests that consumers’ domestic health insurers will still cover their medical costs if they don’t leave the country, and that many budget vacations don’t have expenses worth justifying travel insurance.
But, as Elliott concludes, there may still be value to looking into travel insurance for certain trips. He writes:
“Travelers [who never purchase insurance] are lucky. So far, they haven’t lost a trip or had to file an expensive medical claim. It usually only takes one incident to convince them of the value of a reliable policy.”
As Joel Ohman, founder of an online insurance shopping resource, put it to Elliott:
“You could potentially end up buying a policy that has some duplication of benefits with what you already have… So, one big time to not buy travel insurance is if you find out you are already covered.”
As Elliott points out, these circumstances also flow the other way – with consumers, say, paying extra for travel insurance and car rental insurance, even though their travel policy already covers rentals.
Short Domestic Trips, May want to skip the travel insurance.
Elliott also points out that travelers who are only making short domestic trips may also be candidates for skipping travel insurance coverage. As he points out, many policies “only kick in if you’re anywhere from 50 to 100 miles from your home.”
For more valuable insights on this oft-overlooked topic, relevant to all sorts of travelers, we encourage you to read Elliott’s full piece over on LinkedIn.
Led by Attorney Michael D. Finn with 50 years of experience, the Finn Law Group is a consumer protection firm specializing in timeshare law. Our lawyers understand vacation ownership as well as the many pitfalls of the secondary market of timeshare resales. If you feel you have been victimized by a timeshare company, contact our offices for a free consultation. Know your rights as a consumer and don’t hesitate to drop us a line with any questions or concerns.